The third and last day of the Svanubhava 2012 offers an eclectic mix of the arts. Two concerts today – Carnatic vocal by Sangeetha Sivakumar in the morning and a violin duet in the evening by Mysore Nagaraj and Manjunath.

An intense Kathakali performance will be complemented by a Bhagavata Mela - ‘Prahlada Charitram’. Plenty to watch, listen and learn.

Pandit Ulhas N. Kashalkar, Hindustani vocalist, representative of the three Gharanas - Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra - with an innate ability to switch among the three, was the morning star on the second day of Svanubhava.

“Artistes like him need no introduction. It is indeed an honor and privilege to have him with us,” T.M. Krishna said

Kashalkar presented Raag Miyati Thodi in Vilambit Jhumra Taal with Teen Taal Bandish. His adherence to the aesthetics of the raga sweetened this ode to Krishna. He followed it up with ‘Mayini’ in Hindol Bahar raag, Taal Roopak. The artiste told an enthralled audience that the affection was mutual.

“I am very happy to be here”, he said. “It is wonderful to be here with all these students."

Prema Rangachari, founder of Vidyavanam in Anakkatti said most of these children had never been beyond Coimbatore. "This is their first train trip, so the excitement is even more,” she said.

About Svanubhava she said, “Cultural input has been neglected over the years. Svanubhava is a revival of our culture. It is nice to witness all of it at a single venue”

Science of rhythm

An interactive demonstration on Art and Science of Percussion began with a montage of the various percussion instruments.

“Art becomes science in due course. This is done by breaking art into periodical study”, said Krishna Kishore, one of the perfrmers.

Kishore detailed the anatomy of the Mridangam and its two types - Kaapi and Kuchi.

Lawrence, a Mridangam technician demonstrated the use or ‘Vaaru’, leather or rope straps used for tuning the Mridangam.

Anirudh Athreya's thunderous start on the kanjira had the audience sitting up. He then went into the origins of the instrument - "Kanjira is a derivative of ‘Khanjar’ played by a Fakir in Kolkatta, later adapted to suit Cranatic style."

He spoke of his father V. Nagarajan, the only artiste to have accompanied in a concert as the sole percussionist.

After the the “two Carnivores” as T.M. Krishna humorously dubbed them in his informal interlude, it was the turn of “the herbivore” Chandrashekar Sharma, the Ghatam player.

An anubhava

“My blessings to all those gathered here to have an ‘Anubhava’," began Prof. C. V. Chandrashekar, a bharatanatyam exponent.

He explained that co-relation of dance and music lies in the internal experience of each. “Music is important for dance, and so is dance important to music.”

He spoke about old lost compositions and new innovations to carry forward the tradition. “I have been dancing for 67 years, driven by the blessing of my institution and of my mentors”

The dancer said compositions were made with a specific purpose, for a particular effect tha the composer desires.

"To tamper with the ‘Chand’ or the natural rhythmic cycle of a composition or to reset the original swaras is complete injustice to the composer," he said, while iterating the importance of adherence to Kaala Pramanam.

The danceuse Manjari demonstrated Kalyani and Shankarabharanam Jathiswarm of the Tanjore Quartet and another in Mukhari of Chandrashekar, Chitta Swarams of the YadukulaKambodhi Swarajathi and ‘Mathe’ Daru and Tillana in Dharmavathi.

She also presented the Abhogi Tillana composed by her Professor father for her arangetram wherein he had introduced the musical patterns of a Pallavi.

Manjari’s composition ‘Ahalya’ in Hamsadhwani showed how swaras bring out an entire gamut of expressions.

Being the centenary year of the giant who changed how the musical world perceived Mridangam, it was very apt that his two senior disciples Palghat T.R. Rajamani and V. Kamalakar Rao were the performers.

Rajamani said that his father guru had been playing from the age of nine and that his prowess never waned. “There was something very divine and charismatic in his art which is difficult to explain. It can only be experienced. He was a musical genius who could register anything that he heard once.”

Kamalakar Rao said that his Guru treated him like his own son. “I cannot repay him for what I received with this one lifetime of my dedication.”